Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Category Archives: The AHL

Blandisi and Lucchini Traded for Phil Varone and Riley Barber 2/20

Comments Off on Blandisi and Lucchini Traded for Phil Varone and Riley Barber 2/20 Posted by on February 20, 2020

We have seen this fish before.

If you have been around this blog long enough have been a fan of the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins then you remember the names vividly, Barber with Hershey and Varone with Lehigh Valley. Varone was AHL MVP in 2018.

So proven goal scorers and point producers at the AHL level. Barber with Laval this season has 31 points in 39 games and nine NHL games (Montreal is the NHL affiliate of Laval) this year. He had 31 goals for a stacked Bears team last season. Barber is also an automatic 20 goal scorer.

Phil Varone had 70 points with Lehigh Valley in ’17-18 in his MVP season and was a point off Chris Terry of Laval that year for the point race. Varone this season with the Rocket has 27 games played, 4 goals and 10 assists. No NHL games this season.

Laval was in Providence Sunday and Mark Divver, one of the hardest working guys in the AHL and in Rhode Island, tweeted this…

So a clash in styles between two players who get shipped out to greener pastures in return for an NHL yo-yo in Blandisi and an unproven young commodity in Lucchini. I don’t know how anyone on this side of the aisle sees this as anything but and upgrade for the Penguins and winners of the trade. On the Laval side you get rid of two guys who look like they didn’t want to be there if Divver’s suspicions are true for a serviceable NHL piece in Blandisi and a good player in Lucchini with upside.

But we have been here before.

Mattias Plachta. Spencer Machacek. Danny Syvret. Ryan Parent. Derek Nesbitt. Colin Smith and Joseph Cramarossa. Chris Wideman.

Sure, Varone and Barber have great numbers and should, by rights, have an instant impact for the Penguins who are fighting for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. But history is an indicator (eight names isn’t an outlier, it’s a downright pattern and that is only some of the names) that these names may pop a few eyes here and there now and be the talk of the AHL going into and through this weekend, but the applications of the players putting in the work and producing remains to be seen.

By no means am I ruining this and saying that the trades are bad and you should expect to finish seventh in the Atlantic Division and miss playoffs for a second straight year. No, I am not saying that. Just take these trades with a guarded optimism that yes, they are massive upgrades over what you lost, but the history of pouting and clashing with management that comes with the trade is not something to be ignored and not just a young prospect thinking he should be in the NHL. Varone is 30, Barber just turned 26.

As to the immediate availability of the assets acquired…

–

In other news, Ryan Scarfo is up from Wheeling this week and Brandon Hawkins was sent back down. Zach Trotman went up to Pittsburgh on an emergency recall while John Marino recovers from facial surgery.

I was told this week that Kevin Czuczman was a full go in practice this week and Tyler reported that Dustin Tokarski practiced without limits too and also added that Thomas DiPauli won’t be available this weekend.

Also this, which happened Thursday at 5 right after my post went up…

I would assume that with DiPauli not available and Varone sorting out his visa issues, the recall of Knott was needed.

Around the division, Lehigh Valley and Hartford swapped backup goalies, J-F Berube to the Wolf Pack for Tom McCollum. Charlotte’s third leading scorer Julian Gauthier was traded to Hartford for their fourth leading scorer Joey Keane. The Wolf Pack look like they are going to go for a playoff berth this season.

Springfield too…

Same goes for the Penguins, and that applies to what you just read above.

Gameday setup is here Friday at 3 when Riley Barber squares off against his former team the Hershey Bears, provided Barber gets here in time.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

AHL Power Rankings: End of February 2020

2 Comments Posted by on February 20, 2020

Major shakeup to the top five this week in the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

The Belleville Senators are your top team this week after opening up an eight point lead over second place, largest in all the other AHL divisions. They are followed in second by Iowa, who have closed to within five of Milwaukee which was something unforeseen a month ago.

Two Pacific Division teams in Ontario and San Diego, the hottest teams in the division come in three and four and Hershey, who leads the Atlantic, slide up to fifth.

Jump past the Bears if you didn’t link in direct to see where the other teams fared.

1

 Last Games: TOR 4 @ BEL 7, LAV 2 @ BEL 3 (OT), TOR 4 @ BEL 2, BEL 6 @ TOR 7 (OT), SYR 2 @ BEL 5, BEL 3 @ ROC 2 (OT)
Eight point lead over Rochester, who the Senators took down Wednesday. Belleville remains a complete team.

+1

 Next Games: vs. UTI 2/21, vs. MB 2/22, vs. LAV 2/26, @ CLE 2/28, @ CLE 2/29, vs. TOR 3/4
Record: 34-15-4-1

2

 Last Games: STK 2 @ IA 5, STK 4 @ IA 7, SA 1 @ IA 2, SD 0 @ IA 3, SD 5 @ IA 2, IA 3 @ MIL 2
All of a sudden, five back of Milwaukee and a real chance that the Wild can overtake the Admirals for first in the Central.

+3

 Next Games: @ TEX 2/21, @ TEX 2/22, vs. CHI 2/25, @ STK 2/29, @ SJ 3/2, @ SJ 3/4
Record: 33-15-3-3

3

 Last Games: ONT 10 @ BAK 3, TUC 5 @ ONT 1, BAK 2 @ ONT 4, ONT 6 @ STK 3, COL 3 @ ONT 6
Reign have pulled themselves up and look like they may push on to a first round home ice advantage playoff series quite possibly if they play their cards correctly.

+10

 Next Games: vs. COL 2/21, vs. SJ 2/23, @ SJ 2/26, vs. TUC 2/28, vs. BAK 2/29
Record: 26-19-4-1

4

 Last Games: TUC 3 @ SD 5, BAK 2 @ SD 4, SD 0 @ IA 3, SD 5 @ IA 2, SD 2 @ STK 3 (OT), STK 2 @ SD 3
Quietly 7-1-2 in their last ten, two off another stout Ontario team in what’s shaping up to be a great finish in the Pacific.

+5

 Next Games: @ BAK 2/21, vs. SJ 2/22, @ TUC 2/26, @ STK 2/28, @ SJ 2/29
Record: 24-17-5-2

5

 Last Games: HER 3 @ WBS 0, SPR 2 @ HER 5, HER 5 @ LV 2, HER 3 @ BNG 4 (OT), BNG 4 @ HER 2, LV 3 @ HER 5
Bears are looking good even though there were some stinkers in there. Lead the Atlantic and want to stay there.

-2

 Next Games: @ WBS 2/21, @ BRI 2/22, vs. CHA 2/25, vs. WBS 2/29, vs. CHA 3/1
Record: 32-16-3-3

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Early February 2020

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Early February 2020 Posted by on February 6, 2020

So we are on the run up to the playoffs with the all star event behind us. We have two teams who may be on a collision course to meet in June but as we have all seen in this league, a lot can change and you should expect the unexpected.

The Milwaukee Admirals had something rare happen to them Wednesday. They lost in regulation for just the ninth time. They are the easy choice for the top team to lead the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings for this go around.

Belleville are close behind and have a decent lead on Rochester who are on a tear. Hartford are third and our run of having he division leaders as the top four each week is over for now with Stockton in fourth followed by Iowa in fifth.

Pop past the Wild if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1

 Last Games: RFD 4 @ MIL 7, MIL 5 @ RFD 2, MIL 7 @ CHI 3, MIL 7 @ RFD 1, MIL 2 @ GR 1
It’s damn near the middle of February and this team has yet to lose ten games in regulation. When does Milwaukee enter the discussion of one of the greatest AHL teams of all time?

n/a

 Next Games: vs. TEX 2/7, vs. TEX 2/12, @ CHI 2/13, @ MB 2/15, @ MB 2/17, vs. IA 2/19
Record: 33-9-4-2

2

 Last Games: BEL 5 @ UTI 2, UTI 2 @ BEL 4, BEL 4 @ LAV 3, BEL 5 @ LAV 4 (OT), BEL 3 @ TOR 1
So Belleville has 20 road wins after their win Tuesday in Toronto on 26 tries away from home. That is impressive and one of the reasons why the Senators have built up a nice lead on the rest of the North Division.

n/a

 Next Games: vs. TOR 2/17, vs. LAV 2/8, vs. TOR 2/14, @ TOR 2/15, vs. SYR 2/17, @ RCH 2/19
Record: 30-14-3-1

3

 Last Games: BRI 1 @ HFD 4, LV 2 @ HFD 4, SPR 3 @ HFD 6, HFD 0 @ SPR 2, SPR 4 @ HFD 7
Lose star goaltender and some other pieces to the Rangers and all hope is lost right? Wrong. The Wolf Pack haven’t lost a step yet.

+1

 Next Games: @ CHA 2/7, @ CHA 2/8, vs. WBS 2/12, vs. LAV 2/14, @ LV 2/15
Record: 28-11-4-5

4

 Last Games: ONT 4 @ STK 3 (OT), BAK 1 @ STK 4
Heat are only a few off the Roadrunners who have all of a sudden gone cold. Busy two weeks for Stockton after just two games in the last two weeks.

+2

 Next Games: @ IA 2/8, @ IA 2/9, @ SJ 2/12, vs. ONT 2/14, vs. TUC 2/15, vs. SD 2/17, @ SD 2/19
Record: 25-10-3-3

5

 Last Games: MB 0 @ IA 1, MB 3 @ IA 4, GR 1 @ IA 4, SA 0 @ IA 4
Try as they might, the Wild are at least keeping the Admirals semi-honest. Solid playoff team here.

+4

 Next Games: vs. STK 2/8, vs. STK 2/9, vs. SA 2/11, vs. SD 2/14, vs. SD 2/15, @ MIL 2/19
Record: 28-14-3-3

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: End of January 2020

1 Comment Posted by on January 23, 2020

So we are at the All-Star break scheduled for this weekend in Ontario, California. You’d be surprised how many people confuse the Ontario Reign and think they are located in Canada, when they are really located in Southern California.

Anyway, there hasn’t been any change to the top team this week as the Milwaukee Admirals are making it look easy. They are a win away from thirty, and still haven’t lost ten. Odds on favorite for a Calder Cup? That’s for you to decide.

Belleville has finally gotten the love from the Politburo they deserve and are the number two team. Did we get a Calder Cup preview when the Senators visited the Admirals this past Tuesday?

Tucson has hit a rough stretch by their high standards and because we don’t do ties here, Hartford and Hershey round out the top five but are at this point two identical teams which lead their division.

Click through if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1

 Last Games: RFD 0 @ MIL 2, RFD 1 @ MIL 2 (OT), MIL 4 @ RFD 1, CHI 2 @ MIL 3 (SO), MIL 1 @ CHI 4, BEL 1 @ MIL 2
The runaway favorite for the Calder Cup? Can we make this distinction in January? It worked last year with Charlotte, history could repeat itself again.

n/a

 Next Games: vs. RFD 1/24, @ RFD 1/25, @ CHI 1/31, @ RFD 2/1, @ GR 2/5
Record: 29-8-4-2

2

 Last Games: BEL 5 @ ROC 1, BEL 4 @ UTI 0, BEL 5 @ MB 3, BEL 2 @ MB 3 (OT), BEL 4 @ GR 3 (SO), BEL 3 @ RFD 0, BEL 1 @ MIL 2
This Belleville Senators team is criminally underrated and shouldn’t be. They are a loaded, dangerous team loaded with a hell of a coach. It’s going to be fun to watch them battle with Utica, who they see twice before the All-Star break, for the division lead.

+11

 Next Games: @ UTI 1/24, vs. UTI 1/25, @ LAV 1/31, @ LAV 2/1, @ TOR 2/4
Record: 25-14-3-1

3

 Last Games: TUC 1 @ COL 5, TUC 4 @ COL 2, TUC 1 @ SD 4, TUC 2 @ ONT 1 (OT), TUC 3 @ SD 1
Some hiccups here, but in a division where you play 68 games those are highlighted more. Make no mistake this Tucson team is still very good.

-1

 Next Games: vs. BAK 1/24, vs. BAK 1/25, vs. COL 1/31, vs. COL 2/1, @ BAK 2/5
Record: 28-9-1-0

4

 Last Games: CHA 3 @ HFD 6, HFD 0 @ WBS 3, HFD 5 @ UTI 6 (OT), HFD 3 @ UTI 6, HFD 4 @ HER 5 (OT)
Wolf Pack remain at the top of the Atlantic for now and they keep piling points up. It hasn’t been all that bad for Hartford.

-1

 Next Games: vs. BRI 1/24, vs. LV 1/25, vs. SPR 1/31, @ SPR 2/1, vs. SPR 2/5
Record: 23-10-4-5

5

 Last Games: HER 2 @ WBS 1 (SO), CLE 2 @ HER 4, HER 1 @ CHA 4, HER 4 @ CHA 5, HFD 4 @ HER 5 (OT), ROC 1 @ HER 4, HER 2 @ SPR 5
Bears seem to have cooled from their run from a few weeks ago, just 6-4 in the last ten. Rematch in Springfield Friday then head to Providence before the break. Are tied with Hartford for division lead but could have company in the form of either Charlotte or Providence quick.

n/a

 Next Games: @ SPR 1/24, @ PRO 1/25, @ BRI 1/31, vs. LV 2/1
Record: 25-14-2-3

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Power Rankings

Oula Palve Traded to Dallas 1/17

Comments Off on Oula Palve Traded to Dallas 1/17 Posted by on January 17, 2020

Rare that two AHL teams see their parents swap NHL contracts while those two AHL teams are in the same city together, on the morning of game.

It happened Friday. Oula Palve was traded to Dallas for defenseman John Nyberg.

Palve and Nyberg don’t have to go far, Wilkes-Barre plays Dallas’ AHL affiliate the Texas Stars later today.

It’s a swap of two players that had offensive gifts playing last year overseas who, for whatever reason or another, didn’t click with the organization they were currently playing with.

For Palve, he had 51 points in 53 games playing in Finland last year. This year, he has a goal and seven assists in 37 games for Wilkes-Barre. He’s bounced around lines for Mike Vellucci’s crew, until he was shuffled out for good last week.

Nyberg has the same history, touted as an offensive defenseman but never made enough of a mark to stick.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to go far to get information on Nyberg as the great Stephen Meserve’s site 100 Degree Hockey had this to say about Nyberg back in January 2019 about Nyberg:

…He has struggled to make a mark on the lineup, bouncing in and out as a healthy scratch at times and not scoring his first AHL goal until late December. The assignment should give him a chance to play solid top pair minutes and establish himself better in the North American game.

Nyberg has 19 AHL games under his belt this season with two goals, four assists and six points with a even +/- rating.

One foreign (Nyberg is Swedish) reclamation project for another, essentially.

Gameday setup for Pens / Stars hits the blog at 4, later.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

AHL Power Rankings: Mid-January 2020

3 Comments Posted by on January 9, 2020

There hasn’t been much of a shakeup to the top five in this version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings. The top five from last time are still in the top five, but there has been some shuffling with the top four.

Milwaukee and Tucson remain the class of the West, Hershey may be the best team in the East, and there are teams elevatoring up and down as we go through January.

After Hershey, jump through to see where your favorite team ended up this time if you didn’t link in direct.

1

 Last Games: MIL 3 @ GR 0, GR 3 @ MIL 2, MIL 3 @ CHI 2 (SO), MIL 2 @ CLE 3 (OT), MIL 4 @ CLE 5, GR 3 @ MIL 2
Still lead the Central by a lot, so a few slip ups here and there don’t hurt. Are the class of the division for certain.

+1

 Next Games: vs. RFD 1/10, vs. RFD 1/11, @ RFD 1/14, vs. CHI 1/15, @ CHI 1/18, vs. BEL 1/21
Record: 24-7-4-2

2

 Last Games: COL 4 @ TUC 3, COL 4 @ TUC 1, SD 4 @ TUC 7, SJ 1 @ TUC 5, SJ 5 @ TUC 4 (OT)
Since we last did these, the Roadrunners went 2-2-1. Is this a trend worth keeping an eye on? That’s for you to decide.

-1

 Next Games: @ COL 1/10, @ COL 1/11, @ SD 1/17, @ ONT 1/18, @ SD 1/21
Record: 25-7-1-0

3

 Last Games: HFD 1 @ BRI 5, PRO 1 @ HFD 4, BRI 2 @ HFD 3, HFD 3 @ PRO 1, UTI 1 @ HFD 3, HFD 2 @ HER 1
Hartford sill lead in the Atlantic, but for how long? Star goalie Igor Shesterkin is with the Rangers now. The Wolf Pack have him to thank for this lead that they have.

+1

 Next Games: vs. CHA 1/10, @ WBS 1/11, @ UTI 1/15, @ UTI 1/17, @ HER 1/18
Record: 22-8-2-5

4

 Last Games: BEL 3 @ ROC 4, ROC 0 @ BNG 2, ROC 2 @ UTI 3, ROC 4 @ BEL 3 (OT), ROC 2 @ TOR 5, BNG 4 @ ROC 3 (SO)
We find it funny how the Rochester Americans can throttle every team in their division except the last place Binghamton Devils, who got the Amerks twice the last time we did this.

-1

 Next Games: vs. BEL 1/10, @ SYR 1/11, vs. CLE 1/17, @ LV 1/18, @ HER 1/19, @ CLE 1/22
Record: 21-9-2-3

5

 Last Games: HER 6 @ UTI 5 (OT), WBS 2 @ HER 1, HER 3 @ LV 0, HER 6 @ WBS 2, BRI 1 @ HER 2, BRI 2 @ HER 4, HFD 2 @ HER 1
Shakeup in goal in Hartford leaves the door wide open for Hershey to essentially now run away with this division based off of their current run of play. The Bears look like the only team in the Atlantic that wants to win on a consistent basis.

n/a

 Next Games: @ WBS 1/10, vs. CLE 1/11, @ CHA 1/14, @ CHA 1/15, vs. HFD 1/18,vs. ROC 1/19, @ SPR 1/22
Record: 21-11-2-3

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Power Rankings

California Dreaming – AHL All-Star Rosters Announced 1/3, More Notes

Comments Off on California Dreaming – AHL All-Star Rosters Announced 1/3, More Notes Posted by on January 3, 2020

Late-ish announcement by Springfield with New Years falling on a Wednesday, but we know who is going to Ontario, California later this month to skate in the All-Star Classic.

If you don’t feel like clicking to expand, Andrew Agozzino was the sole Penguins representative named.

Friday was Andrew Agozzino’s birthday, and he leads the team in assists with 17 and points with 29.

Cases could have been made for the Penguins goal scoring leader Anthony Angello, but he just has 13 goals to go with 4 assists and also Casey DeSmith, but Hartford’s Igor Shesterkin is pretty much the sole reason the Wolf Pack have been the class of the Atlantic so far with his play in goal. Springfield’s Chris Driedger was the other goalie named and he’s been having an all-around great season for the Thunderbirds also.

Penguins alumni Ben Street (Binghamton) Derrick Pouliot (San Antonio) and Chris Wideman (San Diego) were named for the North, Central and Pacific squads, respectively.

In other news, Casey DeSmith and Thomas DiPauli are getting recalled later today. There is nothing to worry about in that with regards to injuries. Thomas DiPauli will serve as the extra forward on the trip to Montreal Saturday night and Casey DeSmith is going to back up Matt Murray on Saturday because Tristan Jarry is starting Sunday afternoon at home against the Florida Panthers.

Think of it this way, in baseball on the get away day (the game of a series on the road) the starting pitcher for the next days game is already in the city where that game is going to be played. That is what they are doing here.

If you are thinking, “wait a minute, Jarry DeSmith and Murray all came up in the AHL and rode those buses on those weekends where Wilkes-Barre played a three in three” you would be correct. This might be a new, trailblazing thing that Mike Sullivan is doing.

Taylor Haase has more here, including reassurance that Casey DeSmith will not require waivers when he’s reassigned next week, provided Pittsburgh’s plan goes off without a hitch.

Expect Emil Larmi to get recalled from Wheeling unless he isn’t and Mike Vellucci just rolls Dustin Tokarski Friday night against Hershey and Saturday against Springfield and Sebastien Caron gets the weekend PTO again. The Nailers are in Cincinnati for a pair of games against the Cyclones and the games this weekend are far too important to roll a backup out when Hershey is third and Springfield fifth, both visiting fourth place Wilkes-Barre this weekend.

Food for thought, we don’t have long to wait, the Gameday setup against Hershey is up already.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

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